The Bureau of Customs (BOC) – Port of Cebu on Friday seized a shipment of misdeclared chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) valued at P 1.5 million.

Customs Examiner Ronor Alinsug and representatives from the Enforcement and Security Service, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and the Philippine Coast Guard inspected the shipment.

A total of 21,577 kilos of chlorine were discovered instead of calcium carbonate as declared on documents, resulting in P199,241.06 in lost duties and taxes.

District Collector Charlito Martin Mendoza immediately issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention against the shipment after finding probable cause for misdeclaration in violation of Section 1113 (F), (I), and (L-3, 4, & 5) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

Officials of the Port of Cebu said they were committed to Acting Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz’s mission to curb smuggling by unscrupulous importers who resort to tax evasion.